Flying Tigers seize first place with a doubleheader sweep

Toledo Mud Hens 4, Columbus Clippers 2 (box)

Zac Reininger and the Hens bullpen came through on a bullpen day and the offense pounded out 13 hits to win on Sunday. Reininger wasn’t missing bats, but he got outs, surrendering two runs over five innings of work. Jacob Robson put the Hens on the board first with a solo shot in the second inning. They scored another run in the third inning, and then Jeimer Candelario launched a solo shot in the fifth. Chrstin Stewart added an RBI single for another insurance run as Victor Alcantara, Daniel Stumpf, and Caleb Thielbar shut the Clippers down out of the pen.

Cameron: 2-4, 2B, R, BB, SB

Candelario: 2-5, HR, 2B, R, RBI, 2 SO

Reininger (W, 3-3): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, BB, SO

Coming Up Next: The Hens head due west to Indianapolis to take on the Indians on Monday night.

Harrisburg Senators 3, Erie SeaWolves 2 (box)

Another quiet day from the SeaWolves offense, and a mediocre outing from Matt Manning allowed the Bowie Baysox to catch them for the Western Division lead. Manning had little trouble with the Senators overall, but a quick strike against him in the fourth inning led to all three runs against him. A leadoff walk, and then back-to-back doubles started the inning, and while he quieted things down from there, the Senators took a lead the SeaWolves lineup couldn’t overcome. Senators starter Kyle McGowin lost his command in the fifth, and Erie scored two runs with the help of a couple of walks and an Isaac Paredes RBI single, but that was as close as they’d get in this one.

Paredes: 1-4, RBI, SO

Rosoff: 1-2, R, BB, SB

Manning (L, 11-5): 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 6 SO

Coming Up Next: Joey Wentz will welcome in the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Monday night.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 5, Tampa Tarpons 1 (Gm 1)(F/8)(box)

The Flying Tigers are on a roll, and their sweep of Sunday’s doubleheader with the Tarpons sees them enter the week with a half game lead over the Dunedin Blue Jays in the North Division. Meanwhile the 3-1 series victory over the Tarpons also pushed them two and a half games back. The Blue Jays had the best record in the first half, and so have a playoff spot already. As long as the Flying Tigers hold off the Tarpons they’ll have earned themselves a berth with a fantastic 9-1 run over the last 10 games.

Game one was close fought. Jake Thompson escaped some self made trouble, but gave his team four innings of one run ball. Ethan DeCaster and Angel De Jesus blanked the Tarpons the rest of the way. Reece Hampton scored for third on a throwing error during Brock Deatherage’s bunt attempt in the sixth. Deatherage ended up on second base but was stranded, and eventually the schedule seven-inning contest had to go to extras. A key two-out single from A.J. Simcox kicked off a Tarpons bullpen meltdown, and the Flygers went on to score four and put this one away.

Valente: 1-3, 2 RBI, BB, SO

Simcox: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, SO, SB

Thompson: 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 SO

Lakeland Flying Tigers 9, Tampa Tarpons 5 (Gm 2)(F/7)(box)

Brock Deatherage stirred the drink in a big way in game two. He went 3-for-4, homered, and scored four runs in this one. Even when he struck out in the third with runners on second and third, the pitch got away from catcher Mickey Gasper, who threw wildly to first and allowed both runners to score and Deatherage to make it all the way to third as the throw caromed into the corner. New addition Bryant Packard came through with a key hit, and the bullpen came through with a decent combined outing to make it all count.

Deatherage: 3-4, HR, 2B, 4 R, RBI, SO, SB

Packard: 1-4, 2 RBI, SO

Lescher: 3.0 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 H, BB, 2 SO

Coming Up Next: Garrett Hill (6-5, 2.44 ERA) gets the start on Monday night as the Flying Tigers move to Clearwater to take on Threshers.

West Michigan Whitecaps 4, Fort Wayne TinCaps 2 (box)

Sandel De La Cruz came up with another solid start, and the lineup scratched out enough offense on Sunday. De La Cruz allowed two runs in five innings of work, striking out four. Catcher Sam McMillan got the Whitecaps on the board in the first with a solo home run. De La Cruz allowed his second run in the top of the fifth, but the offense answered right back. They loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth, and Andre Lipcius came through with a two-run single. Dayton Dugas followed with a single to score Parker Meadows, and the Whitecaps didn’t look back.

McMillan: 2-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB, SO

Greene: 1-2, R, BB, SO, SB

Lipcius: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI

De La Cruz (W, 3-4): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 4 SO

Coming Up Next: Robbie Welhaf (4-7, 3.10 ERA) gets the start on Monday as the TinCaps stay in town.

Connecticut Tigers 6, Hudson Valley Renegades 5 (F/11)(box)

Maddux Conger gave the Tigers a solid start, and the offense pounded out a 11 hit attack, but it still took 11 innings to beat the pesky Renegades. Ryan Kreidler tripled home Kingston Liniak and then scored on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, but the lead didn’t last. Conger was pretty solid, but allowed two runs in the fifth to tie things up. The game eventually went to extras, and after trading runs in the tenth, it was Eliezer Alfonzo who came through with a double to score Jake Holton. The Renegades melted down, loading the bases and eventually walking Avery Tuck for the game winner.

Kreidler: 2-6, 3B, R, RBI

Holton: 2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI

Conger: 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 SO

Coming Up Next: The two clubs meet up again at 7:05pm ET on Monday.